1. PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY Open team tournament. Two member teams. Boater & Co-Anglers. You may fish as an individual. At least one of the team members must be at least 18 years old.

2. ANGLER CODE OF CONDUCT Anglers participating in any Paupacbass event shall observe this code of conduct and the applicable rules for the event in which they are participating. Anglers shall at all times, conduct themselves in a manner becoming of anglers that will not reflect unfavorably on Paupacbass, its members, officers, directors, representatives, tournaments, or sponsors. Anglers shall use their best efforts to demonstrate professionalism and integrity in support of the sport of tournament fishing. Any angler who violates any of the provisions of the Angler Code of Conduct may be subject to any penalties or combination thereof, deemed appropriate by PaupacBass.

3. COMPETITION A designated tournament official must be granted access to the competitor’s boat at any time during the official competition. Failure to grant such access may result in immediate disqualification. Each competitor agrees to report to the Tournament Officials any violation or infraction of any tournament rules. Failure to report violations or suggestions to another competitor that they violate these rules or false verification of weigh-in forms will be cause for disqualification. By participant’s signature on the official entry form, each competitor agrees to abide by all tournament rules.

4. REGISTRATION Sign ups begin at 3:30 am for day tournaments and 8:30 pm for night tournaments. All participants MUST be back and checked in at the ramp by 11:00 am for day tournaments and 6:00 am for night tournaments. There will be an OFFICIAL measuring stick at registration. All participants should check their measuring sticks to the OFFICIAL stick at registration. All boats will be inspected by an authorized tournament official prior to launch; inspection includes all livewells, rod lockers and or storage compartments. Refusal is grounds for disqualification.

5. SAFETY Tournaments Safe boat conduct must be observed at all times by tournament participants. Tournament officials have the right to delay, shorten, or cancel the start of an official tournament because of bad weather or other factors. Tournament waters may also be restricted at any time because of bad weather and/or safety concerns. In the event of an emergency situation, competitors should call 911 first and then notify tournament officials. Competitors are allowed to leave the boat and seek safe shelter in bad weather where danger may be imminent.

6. SPORTSMANSHIP Participants in PaupacBass tournaments are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, and conservation. Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principles may be deemed cause for disqualification.

a) Use of alcohol or illegal drugs, by any competitor during tournaments or events, will not be tolerated and shall be cause for automatic disqualification from the tournament and/or all future PaupacBass events.

b) Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially with regard to boating, and angling in the vicinity of non-competitors who may be on tournament waters. Any act of a competitor which reflects unfavorably upon efforts to promote fisheries conservation, clean waters, and courtesy shall be reason for disqualification.

c) All competitors are bound by the statutes and regulations of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, and any other municipality, or government entity with jurisdiction on tournament waters. Any angler cited by the PFBC during a tournament is automatically disqualified from that tournament. For team tourneys the team is disqualified.

d) Chemical-substance addiction or abuse, conviction of a felony or other crimes involving moral turpitude, or other conduct reflecting unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition, and compliance with tournament rules shall be grounds for rejecting any application for participation and/or for disqualification after circumstances are reviewed by PaupacBass Officials. Any disqualification, suspension from, or other disciplinary action regarding any tournament or fishing organization, shall be grounds for rejecting any application for participation in a Paupacbass tournament and/or disqualification from a PaupacBass after circumstances are reviewed by PaupacBass officials.

7. TACKLE & EQUIPMENT Only artificial lures and biodegradable lures may be used. No “live bait” or “prepared bait” will be permitted during tournaments with the exception of pork strips or rinds. Only ONE casting, spin casting, or spinning rod/reel may be used at one time. Other rigs as specified may be in the boat and ready for use however only ONE per angler in use at any time. All fish must be caught live and in a conventional sporting manner. Anyone guilty of snatching, or snagging visible fish will have their catch disqualified. Fly fishing rods are not permitted.

8. BASIC BOAT EQUIPMENT All boats must meet all PA Fish & Boat Commission requirements. Boats must have an operating live well capable of re-circulating water. a) Boat/angler Identification. All boats must be inspected at registration by a tournament official. b) Gas Tanks. No additional gas tanks or containers of any kind may be used. During the official practice and during the tournament, no portable gas tanks or containers capable of holding gasoline can be placed anywhere on the tournament waters or shoreline for use by any tournament competitor.

9. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS All angling must be done from the boat. All water considered open to public fishing will be considered tournament waters except inside the no wake buoys at the state launch.

10. COMPETITORS MUST REMAIN IN BOAT Boats must remain in tournament waters during tournaments. Competitors must leave from and return to the Capri Launch or whatever the official launch location is. Anglers must remain in the boat at all times except in case of emergency. In case of a needed restroom break anglers are allowed to leave the boat upon which all fishing must stop until all anglers are back in the boat. All emergencies are to be reported to tournament officials ASAP. Tournament officials reserve the right to all decisions regarding emergency situations.

11. SCORING Winners will be determined by weight on the official scale. For Bass Tournaments, the limit is 5 bass per team, minimum size of 12 ”. Short fish will not be weighed. Each team MUST bring their own fish to the scale. At no time shall anglers have in their possession more 5 fish except to cull.. Any bass that appears to have been mangled, mashed, mauled, or otherwise altered will be weighed and credited only at the discretion of tournament officials. Bass must NOT be stringered at any time during a tournament. Culling tags or clips are allowed.

12. CATCH & RELEASE: CULLING OF DEAD BASS IS PROHIBITED. Culling dead bass is prohibited by regulation of the PA Fish & Boat Commission. A legal dead bass presented for weigh-in will be assessed a 1/2 pound penalty. Tournament officials have sole authority for determination of dead fish. Any team with 2 dead fish will be automaticly disqualified.

13. LATE. boats will lose i pound per minute they are late, after 10 minutes boat is disqualified.

14. TIES In the case of a tie where two or more bags of fish weigh exactly the same on the official scale, then the weight of the team’s lunker will determine the winner. Should the lunker(s) be of an identical weight; the length will determine the winner.

15. LUNKER. All teams will weight a lunker. Any fish weighed for lunker MUST be alive.

16. LIVE WELLS/HANDLING/WEIGH-IN. OUR GOAL IS NO DEAD, NO STRESSED FISH. All boats MUST have an operating live well capable of re-circulating water. When water temps are above 75 degrees re-circ pumps should be continuously run. Get fish back into the water ASAP. Put fresh water in the bag to bring the fish to weigh. After your fish is weighed immediately release it back into the water. ANYONE OBSERVED MISHANDLING FISH IN ANY WAY WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.

17. CHEATING. Anyone caught cheating in ANY PaupacBass Bass event will be disqualified. Any angler caught cheating will never be allowed to fish any future PaupacBass events. Violators will be subject to full criminal prosecution as dictated by Pennsylvania and U.S law. Refusal to take or failure to pass the polygraph test - FOR ANY REASON - will result in immediate disqualification. All findings of the polygraph results are final. During the tournament participant boats shall NOT approach or get within 75 feet of any other participant boat (Except for tournament officials approaching for inspection). No fish shall be co-mingled, or mixed with any other team’s fish or transferred to any other boat.

19. Anglers agree and acknowledge that by participating in a PaupacBass event and thereby having a copy of these rules made available to the angler, that the angler has read and understands the rules set forth and will abide by those rules set forth by PaupacBass with regards to tournament participation.

20. RULES COMMITTEE AND PROTEST PROCEDURES

By entering any PaupacBass tournament, contestants agree to submit to a polygraph/voice test examination should the competitor be accused of any rule violation. Protests may be registered in person and in writing, before boat launch or after weigh in and before awards are presented. If it is a problem regarding the weight of a fish or bag of fish, the protest must be made prior to the fish in question being returned to the water. Any person failing to successfully pass a polygraph/voice test in this or any other tournament will not be allowed entry into future PaupacBass. All contestants agree that in the event of a dispute or protest of any kind, or if requested to do so by the Rules Committee, both team members will submit to a polygraph screening. The administration and interpretation of the polygraph/voice test shall be the responsibility of the Rules Committee or designee. The Rules Committee will choose the individual who administers such polygraph/voice test, and the scope of the questions, which may be asked during such test and schedule a polygraph session at the place of Rules Committee’s Choice. The day of polygraph examination shall be based on both team members choice and must be completed within 2 weeks following said tournament. Failure to take and pass the polygraph/voice test examination, if required, will result in immediate disqualification without recourse. Contestants further agree that the results of the polygraph screening will be accepted without further appeal and will be the final decision in said tournament. All contestants agree and understand that protested prizes will be held until the polygraph results are received and any differential in awards will be mailed to affected winners immediately following results. Both team members hereby waive and release any and all claims and causes of action against PaupacBass, sponsors, and their agents in connection with taking such polygraph screenings. In the event of no polygraph screening, the Rules Committee decision will be accepted. Inconclusive results on a polygraph examination will be considered to be a failure to pass and will be accepted as such by the examinee. (Official Protest Forms will be available at the weigh in table from a Tournament Official upon request).